50 Ways to Love Your Summer

Do these 50 things, and we guarantee you’ll have the best summer Santa Fe has to offer

Even we summer-lovers have had that moment of heat-induced ennui, in which we run out of things to do and contemplate just sitting inside, watching the full 16-hour Lord of the Rings trilogy (with extra footage) on Blu-Ray. But wait! Your friends at SFR have come up with a painstakingly curated, totally awesome list of the 50 must-do activities in Santa Fe this summer. A six-pack of beer to the first person who can prove to us that you’ve done them all (ie provide photographic evidence)—not to mention, of course, the glorious feeling of a summer well spent. Ready…go!

1. Sip a margarita at La Fonda’s Bell Tower Bar2. Play outdoor chess at the stone tables on Don Gaspar Avenue, across from the Hotel St. Francis3. Go to a Friday afternoon art opening on Canyon Road4. See a band (any band!) at Sol Santa Fe Stage & Grill5. Lie in the grass and watch the clouds float by at Patrick Smith Park6. Spend a lazy afternoon listening to live music at the Cowgirl7. Crash the never-ending party at the Bicentennial Pool8. Raft the Rio Grande9. Hike the Atalaya Mountain Trail10. Bike the Rail Trail11. Sample Ecco Espresso & Gelato’s many flavors of gelato, or walk down the block to Dedo’s FroYo for a healthier option12. Pretend you’re a pirate on the Railyard Park’s ropes course13. Loll in the Plaza, listening to the summer Bandstand live music series14. Host a highbrow tailgate party at the Santa Fe Opera15. Hike Ski Santa Fe—you’ll be amazed how pretty it is in summer16. Paint a plein-air masterpiece, even if you suck at art17. Plant something—a flower, a zucchini plant, anything18. When it rains, dance in it19. Go barefoot20. Make plans for September’s SFR arts festival21. Eat an heirloom tomato from the Santa Fe Farmers Market22. Attend St. John’s Music on the Hill23. Watch a sunset24. Slurp a watermelon mojito at Coyote Cantina25. Hang out with your (or your friend’s) four-legged friend at the Santa Fe Animal Shelter and Humane Society dog park26. Try a new spice from The Spice Lady on West Cordova Street27. Check out a picture-book from your local public library28. Don’t just drive by Camel Rock; stop and explore it29. Visit Bandelier National Monument30. Check out the strange, almost-useful items at Design Warehouse31. Breakfast burrito: Handheld? Posa’s. Smothered? The Pantry.32. Sip an iced latte from Betterday Coffee33. Take the Rail Runner Express down to Albuquerque (or just Sol Santa Fe, if you’re feeling a bit less ambitious)34. Attend a class at REI35. Visit the Bataan Military Museum36. Find the best sopapilla in town37. Stage a water-balloon fight38. Sample the tripas tacos at one of Airport Road’s many taco trucks39. Have sex outside (yes, you read that right)40. Convince a friend (or that cute guy at REI) to take you rock-climbing41. Go camping in the Valle Vidal42. Attend an environmental cleanup of the Santa Fe River43. Start a compost pile44. Attend a lecture at Travel Bug45. Save water; shower with a friend46. Get your hands dirty: help out at a community garden47. Ride a motorcycle (with full protective gear, please)48. See a Miyazaki film at CCA49. Watch a movie being filmed in downtown Santa Fe50. Have a barbecue and invite your neighbors